New Delhi - Terming as "outlandish and bizarre" the statement of Chuck Hagel, the new US Defence Secretary, that India has financed problems for Pakistan in Afghanistan, BJP today asked the government to exert diplomatic pressure on Washington for unconditional withdrawal of his statement.

The statement given by Hagel that India has financed problems in Pakistan is "outlandish, bizarre and baseless," BJP spokesperson Rajiv Pratap Rudy said.

He also expressed surprise over Hagel giving a clean to Pakistan, which has harboured in the backyard of its military base al Qaeda chief Osama Bin Laden, who was responsible for killing of more than 5000 Americans in the World Trade Centre attack.

"BJP is concerned at the indifference of the Indian government by not reacting to Hagel. BJP demands that Government of India uses its diplomatic pressure to see that Mr Chuck Hagel retracts his statement unconditionally," Rudy said.

Hagel had made the remarks during a speech at Oklahoma's Cameron University in 2011, which has surfaced now.

"India for some time has always used Afghanistan as a second front, and India has over the years financed problems for Pakistan on that side of the border," the former Republican Senator had said.

His remarks are considered in sharp contrast to viewpoint of Obama Administration that has always been in praise of India's developmental role in Afghanistan and in fact has been pressing New Delhi to do more in Afghanistan.

Reacting to this, the Indian Embassy in Washington had said, "Such comments attributed to Senator Hagel, who has been a long-standing friend of India and a prominent votary of close India-US relations, are contrary to the reality of India's unbounded dedication to the welfare of Afghan people".

Senior BJP leader Yashwant Sinha said such statements from Hagel are "bad news" for India.

"This is a matter of serious concern to India. Just the Indian embassy in the US reacting to it is not enough. India should respond to it," he told reporters.

"Doubts have already been raised about US Secretary of State John Kerry and now Hagel has spoken on these lines. What kind of a team is President Barack Obama building. They are entirely pro-Pakistan and anti-India," Sinha said.

Rudy said, "The country which favoured Osama is being favoured by the Defence Secretary of the US. It is hilarious and condemnable."

It is clear that Hagel, just like Obama, will do his damnedest to implement stupid, fantastical policies in spite of what reality may tell them.

I would encourage India to meddle in Afghanistan. Pakistan is a corrupt, failed state. They should never be considered a long-term friend or partner - and their citizens should not be allowed into the United States. The Taliban will return to take at least part of the country when the US departs.

Let India, who is on the front lines, and is the biggest victim of Islamist violence, step-up and do what they can to minimize radical Islam’s reach in S. Asia.

Undoubtedly what Hagel said is true. India’s logical move is to cause difficulties on Pakistan’s other frontier. India’s leaders would not be faithful to their nation if they didn’t do so. Hagel’s sin is to be so outspoken speaking the truth.

Democrats have a tradition of siding with the enemies of our allies. We saw that with the Sandinistas. We see it with the resistance from the Congress in granting free trade with the only capitalist entity in South America, Columbia, and their embrace of Chavez and other socialists in that region.

India caused problems for Pakistan by funding reconstructing of schools and hospitals and thereby wining greater influence over Afghan people and government to ultimately keep the Talibans out. It would be bad for Pakistan if the Afgans stop depending on assistance to come from Pakistan...which in turn comes from US. Yeah in that way Indian are real trouble makers messing up Pakistans designs.

As for Hagel, he is paid Paki tool. He has no idea about the truth. His public comments are scripted in Islamabad by his paymasters. You want to be “outspoken” ? How about speaking against Pakistan’s duplicity huh? I don’t see that ever happening. Outspoken my a$$.

No. India’s logical move is to have peace with the Pakistanis, as China is a bigger threat. But the Islamic militants will never allow this. And those lunatics in Pakistan will blame India for everything because of Islamic derangement syndrome. For Hagel to agree with their delusions is a reminder of his incompetence and dhimmitude.

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